What Dreams May Come
by TheLadyInGold
Summary: The help Russia needs to rid him of his bad dreams, and the bad memories with them, literally shows up at his front door. Russia/Anastasia Romanov, Rome/fem! China, Russia/fem!China
1. Dreaming

_**Will I dream again tonight?**_

Russia lay awake in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was utterly weary, to be sure, but he could not sleep... no, he did not want to sleep. _If I sleep, I may dream again,_ he thought. _And I do not want to dream. At least, I do not want to dream that..._

He could feel his eyelids growing heavier by the minute and he fought to keep them open._ I need to stay awake..._

_I need to think of something else..._

_Having Natalya show up might actually be a welcome distraction..._

_I'd rather her chase me with her knife again than dream of that..._

Despite the speed of Russia's thoughts, he found sleep beginning to wash over him like a giant, heavy wave. And, when he slept, he dreamed...

A grand ballroom, and him in his finest military uniform. A string ensemble and a polished dance floor. People laughing, chatting, dancing and having a wonderful time. And last, but certainly not least, a lovely young girl of about eighteen with a sweet face and long brown hair...

"You do know, Vanya, that it's improper for a young lady to ask a young man to dance, don't you?" She told him teasingly, her eyes twinkling and her cheeks pink.

"Well, then," he replied, a flush spreading across his own pale cheeks, "may I have this dance?" She nodded her assent and he led her onto the floor proudly. As they danced, he noticed a bearded man scowling at him from the corner. _You can't keep us apart anymore, old man,_ he thought triumphantly...

When the dance was over, he led her down the hallway and onto the open balcony, where the stars shone brilliantly overhead. She sighed happily and leaned into him as he put his arms around her. "This is so beautiful," she said contentedly. She flicked a teasing glance at him and then added, "The stars too."

Drawing the deep breath, he said hesitantly, "I have... something... to ask you."

She gasped. "Vanya, what is it?"

He turned her around to face him and knelt in front of her. "I love you so much." She burst into tears as he produced a beautiful little ring from his pocket and began, "Will you..."

His question was interrupted by a group of armed men storming the room. One of them grabbed the girl's arm roughly and shouted, "You're coming with us!"

"Vanya, help me!" she cried in terror. Galvanized by his sweetheart's frightened tone, he rushed forward, knocking the men down left and right. He had just gotten to her to free her from the other man's grasp when something heavy hit him solidly in the back of the head, sending him sprawling to the floor. As he scrambled to regain his feet, another blow to the back of his head put him down again.

"VANYA! NOOOOO!" the girl screamed as he tried to rise again. This time, another blow, harder than the others, connected and he saw millions of tiny lights as he fought for consciousness...

Then without warning, a loud rumbling began, along with a violent quaking of the palace. In his semi-conscious state, he could feel things falling around him. Then, a loud crack, and it felt as though he were falling... and through it all, he heard her voice, calling...

"Vanya... Vanya..."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Russia fell out of bed. Sunlight was peeking through a crack in the heavy drapes covering the windows of his bedroom. He groaned and picked himself up from the floor, rubbing his forehead. _Not that dream again... it just won't leave me. The worst part was not knowing where she was buried..._

He shuffled down the hall to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee. Pouring a little vodka into the cup, he took a sip... someone knocked at the door. He ignored the knock, not really wanting to see anyone at the moment. There was another knock, then after a pause, another. He growled a little, muttering, "Kolkolkol..." to himself and went to the front door, throwing it open rather forcefully...

The woman on the other side of the door jumped.


	2. Unexpected

Russia stared. Standing at his front door was a stunning young Asian woman. She looked a little startled and laughed nervously. "Hello, I'm sorry to disturb you so early," she said in a warm alto voice that was very pleasing to the ear. Something caught Russia's eye over her shoulder, a shiny black car on the side of the road in front of his house...

"Having car trouble, da?" he asked her suddenly. She nodded.

"I've got a flat tire and... well..." she laughed sheepishly. "I can't loosen one of the lug nuts. It's really frozen on there." She added ruefully, "Not only that, but my phone's battery went flat, so I wasn't even able to call a towing service. That's the reason I knocked on your door, actually. Could I use your phone?"

"Da, of course," he answered, a little embarrassed once he realized he'd been staring at her. She smiled and then another idea came to him. "Or, I could help you with your tire if you'd like."

"Are you sure?" she asked uncertainly. "I hate to trouble you so early..."

Russia waved his hand. "Nyet, no trouble at all. That way you wouldn't have to wait for the towing service." He added, "Sometimes they are so slow in coming to assist you."

"Thank you," she replied gratefully. He followed her out to her car, glancing at her as she walked at his side. She was a petite woman, smartly dressed, with shiny black hair done up in two buns on either side of her head. A thought struck Russia: I have seen her before, but where?

_I don't see her anywhere, Russia thought, sprinting down the long hallway to the conference room. If I make the room, she'll leave me alone... Beilschmidt's hosting and he won't allow any disruptions. Casting a hunted glance over his shoulder, he pressed the "4" button on the wall panel and tapped one foot impatiently as he waited for the elevator to arrive._

_Ding! The doors opened, revealing the passengers inside..._

_ ой дерьмо, Russia thought in panic as he came face-to-face with Belarus._

_"Are you avoiding me, brother?" she pouted, grabbing his arm. "I thought you loved me."_

_"Natalya," Russia's voice squeaked out. He looked wildly left and right for some help, some... He yelped as Belarus' sharp fingernails dug into his arm. "Natalya, please, you're hurting me."_

_"And YOU'RE hurting me, brother!" she barked. "You know we're meant to be together! Just stop fighting it... we are getting married NOW. Let's go to the consulate..." Belarus started dragging him back through the lobby and toward the front doors... She was surprisingly strong for someone so small._

_"Help me," Russia called in a small, pitiful voice, but no one wanted to even approach Belarus except Ukraine, who tried to intervene... and was promptly called back by her boss. Ukraine could only watch helplessly as Belarus strong-armed Russia to the glass double doors at the front of the lobby._

_As Belarus was pushing the door open, dragging a now-crying Russia behind her, a voice spoke up. "What's going on here?" Both Russia and Belarus looked up to see an Asian woman approaching them. "Is there something wrong?"_

_Belarus glared murderously at the woman and started to answer, but Russia seized the opportunity to break free from her and run toward the woman._  
_"Help me!" he cried "Please help me." The woman looked concerned. Belarus caught up to them and pulled her knife from under her skirt._

_"Stay away," she hissed at the woman, who, to Russia's surprise, did not look afraid. "He's mine. And we are getting married. NOW!" She lunged with the knife at the woman..._

_To everyone's surprise, Belarus was almost immediately on the floor, flat on her back with a shocked expression on her face. The woman was holding Belarus' knife and standing over her. A small crowd started to gather around them as the woman helped a semi-catatonic Belarus to her feet._  
_"Now," the woman said kindly, patting Belarus' hand, "you'll behave for the rest of the meeting, right?" Belarus nodded dumbly and the woman smiled. "Good girl. Now we'll get rid of this, right?" she said as she dropped the knife in a trash can. "Go find a seat, sweetie, the meeting's going to start soon."_

_Belarus scurried toward the elevator without glancing back. The woman turned to Russia and fixed her warm brown eyes on him. "Are you all right?" she asked in a concerned tone. He nodded. "All right, she shouldn't bother you for at least the rest of the meeting." She chuckled and commented, "She must have been the one my brother was talking about..."_

_"Brother?" Russia asked puzzled._

_"Yao, he's my brother." The woman continued, "There were so many things going on in our country that Yao sent me to represent us in his place. He's been quite busy."_

_"Oh, well, it's nice to meet you, um..."_

_"Chun Yan," she filled in with a smile. "Wang Chun Yan, or Chun Yan Wang if you prefer to put the family name last. And by any chance would you be Ivan Braginski of Russia?"_

_"Yes, I am," he answered._

_"Well, we'd better get to the meeting. Yao says that Mr Beilschmidt gets irritated by tardiness."_

_Russia offered her his arm and responded, "And thank you for helping me. Yes, we don't want to make Beilschmidt mad." Smiling, she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and they boarded the elevator together._

"Chun Yan?" Russia said suddenly. "Do you remember me?"

She looked at him, frowned and then gasped with recognition. "Ivan! Yes, I do." She laughed. "What good fortune I've had then, to have this happen near the home of a friend."

Russia smiled as he set to work changing her tire. No wonder she couldn't get the lug nut loose, he thought. It was taking all his strength to loosen it, and Chun Yan was a very petite woman. In short order, the spare tire was on and the car was in safe driving condition.

"Thank you so much, Ivan," she replied warmly. She grasped his hands and said, "I can't thank you enough."

"Um, Chun Yan, would you like to come in for some coffee or tea before you go?" Russia asked.

"Oh, don't trouble yourself for me," Chun Yan replied.

"No trouble," Russia answered. "I'd love to have you."

"Xie xie," she replied, taking his offered arm and walking at his side back into his house.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

_**No, they're not going to fall in love yet. Friendship definitely, but it's too soon for anything else. And Ivan still misses Anastasia.**_

_**1 In the previous chapter, the bearded man was Rasputin. I know that he was dead by the time that the Romanovs were executed, but that's why Russia was dreaming about him, he was dead and couldn't keep them apart anymore. (My little headcanon backstory: Because Rasputin was creepy and weird over Alexandra and her daughters, he didn't want Ivan having a relationship with Anastasia.**_

_** 2. Fem!China is China's twin.**_

_**3. Russia said "oh crap" when Belarus came out of the elevator.**_

_**4. Chun Yan said "thank you" when she was going into Russia's house.**_


	3. I Need a Friend

_I'm dreaming again..._

Russia sat up abruptly, drenched in a cold sweat. He'd been dreaming. It should have been a pleasant dream... but unfortunately even the pleasant dreams haunted him as much as the unpleasant ones. _Especially when I dream of her..._

_"Vanya! Vanya!" _

_Her sweet face with its ever-present smile... her in the new dress she'd just gotten, twirling around, "How do I look?"... picking flowers with her... the two of them, hiding in the library from the old man, reading books together... her on her pony, riding up to greet him with her cheeks flushed and eyes twinkling.. and once again, dancing at the ball. Memories, a lot of them. Memories of what had been... dreams of what could have been._

_"Vanya... Vanya..."_

Russia exhaled, and wiping his face, realized that there were tears running down his cheeks. He swallowed hard..._ I miss you, Anastasia... I miss you so much._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Why was she there, siastra? Why? I saw her. She was at his house!"

Belarus was wailing into the phone. Ukraine sighed, listening to her sister's complaining voice. Canada, who was seated at the table beside her, grimaced sympathetically, as even he could hear Belarus from where he was sitting.

"Maybe she and Vanya are friends, Natalya. He is allowed to have friends," she answered. Belarus growled at that.

"But why her?" she cried. "She'll take Vanya away from me! He's mine!" Ukraine drew a deep breath and tapped the earpiece of the phone on her forehead. Secretly, she hoped that her brother's new friend would be something more than that... he'd been so lost since that horrible year and no one- no one had been able to help him. He had nearly gone mad with grief and as a result had driven away almost all his friends.

Ukraine jumped as Belarus' voice took a more sinister tone. "I have to get rid of her, siastra. I just have to. She's mean... she'll make Vanya hate me. And I cannot have that."

"No, Natalya, you will not," Ukraine said suddenly. "If you truly love our brother, you will leave him alone and let him be happy." With a click, the call disconnected. Ukraine sighed and leaned her head on Canada's shoulder. Talking to her sister was always exhausting, especially when it concerned her brother.

They sat like that for a few minutes, then Canada broke the silence. "I hope... that Ivan can be happy too," he said quietly. "He's been through so much."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Belarus uttered a scream of rage as she threw the phone across the room, shattering a mirror hanging on the opposite wall. _How dare he! How dare they!_ In her fury, she started turning over furniture, tables and chairs, blindly destroying everything in her way.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" she shrieked as she snatched a lamp from a table and hurled it, breaking the lamp to pieces and making a hole in her front door. "WHY DO YOU LOVE HER AND NOT ME? I HATE YOU!"

Her eyes were blurred with tears and she did not notice the young man running up her front steps and peering through the hole in her front door...

"WHY, VANYA? WHY?" she screamed again, her voice catching at the end. "Why do you love her and not me? Why am I not good enough for you?" Hysterical sobs poured from her throat... she turned around, and bumped into someone standing behind her.

"Natalya?" Lithuania looked concerned. "I heard you screaming from outside."

Belarus flew at Lithuania, pounding his chest with her small fists. "He doesn't love me! Why? Why am I... not good enough...?" She broke down and wept, leaning into Lithuania. He put his arms around her and held her until she'd cried herself out.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Russia realized his hands were shaking and his heart was pounding. He got up, stretched, and mentally scolded himself for daring to attempt a nap in the state he was in. As he walked to the kitchen, the images swirled around in his head, unbidden... "I have to do something," he muttered as he made himself a cup of tea.

He sat down and sipped his tea, still quivering... then he had an idea. _Talk to someone. Someone who is kind and will listen... someone who is a good friend._ Normally, he would have called Ukraine, but the relations between their bosses were especially strained at the moment and he didn't want to get his sister in trouble. France? He had his own sad memories of lost love..._ nyet, he gets too depressed over such things._

Russia sighed and rubbed his forehead... then he remembered. Picking up his phone, he consulted a small scrap of paper and dialed the number written on it.

"Hello, Chun Yan?" he said.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**Sorry it took so long to update, I've been really busy lately. Some Canada/Ukraine and Lithuania/Belarus, with a mention of France/Joan of Arc. **

**At this point, Russia still sees fem!China as a friend... I don't want them to fall in love overnight. (too unrealistic for someone as heartbroken as Russia)**


	4. Understandings

_"And the memories are always with me..."_

Chun Yan silently handed Russia another tissue as they sat side by side on his sofa. Russia was quivering and his breath came in short gasps..._ they won't leave me... in my sleep... when I wake... always there..._ He gripped Chun Yan's small hand tightly and with the other hand covered his eyes.

She had come quickly when he called her, alarmed at how distraught he sounded over the phone. She had known the last time they visited that he was troubled, but she hadn't known just how tormented he truly was. Until now, that is, as he poured out his heart to her. He had told her everything, and she silently and patiently listened... because, although she didn't tell him, she truly understood his feelings... the pain, the grief...

Russia drew a few very deep breaths and wiped his eyes with the tissue, dropping it in a crumpled ball with a number of others in a pile on the table next to him. After a few minutes of silence, he whispered shakily, "Spasibo, Chun Yan. You are a good listener." He was glad she came... she had a calm and reassuring air about her, and being older than Russia, she had a great deal of wisdom and experience, so he felt in some strange way she understood. All in all, her presence was very comforting.

She squeezed his hand, handed him another tissue and quietly disappeared for a few minutes. While she was gone, a question formed itself in Russia's mind, and he decided to ask her when she returned...

Presently Chun Yan came back with two cups of tea. She handed one to Russia and resumed her place next to him with the other. He took a few sips of the hot, soothing liquid, then gathered his courage and asked the question he'd been thinking. "Chun Yan?" he ventured a little hesitantly. "Have you ever... loved someone and lost them?"

"I have," she replied, taking his hand again. "What happened?" Russia asked, then instantly regretted it. It wasn't any of his concern... but to his surprise, Chun Yan began to tell him the story.

"A long time ago... it's been thousands of years now, I fell in love with a man... I say he was a man, but he was actually a great empire. This empire held much of the civilized world under his grasp at one time, but as we all know, when an empire expands so greatly and rapidly, it often has an adverse affect on his or her health and the empire will die off." Russia nodded, as he'd seen it happen with the Byzantine Empire... "And that is what happened to the man I loved."

"So who..." Russia began, but stopped abruptly as he was sure he knew the answer.

"Our people knew him as Da Qin," she replied. "But most of the world knew him as the Roman Empire." She paused very briefly, then recounted the tale of how they met.

_He had come from the west, looking for silk and seeking to explore the wonders of the Far East. By the time he'd (very reluctantly) departed, he not only had a trade in the silks he so desired, he'd won Chun Yan's heart, thus beginning a lengthy romance. He came back to visit her as often as he could steal away, and in between times they wrote letters about everything and nothing and missing each other and wishing to be together again..._

_"The last time I saw him, he didn't look well," Chun Yan continued quietly. "He said something about fighting the barbarians, and how it was wearing him down." He promised to return to her after the unrest was settled. She never saw him again after that day._

_It was some time later that a slave boy came bearing a letter addressed to her. The letter had been written by Germania, Rome's bodyguard... "He wrote that Da Qin had been in such agony, he begged him to end his suffering," Chun Yan explained. "I... I felt so lost. I thought at the time, if only I'd made him stay a little longer, he could have had time to recover... he could have lived on."_

"So you understand perfectly, then," Russia said quietly. He knew the guilt of feeling that he should have done something more to prevent his beloved's death. "I'm sorry you lost him, Chun Yan."

"And I'm sorry you lost your sweetheart too," Chun Yan answered, squeezing his hand. "She sounds like she was someone very special."

Russia nodded and then hesitantly asked, "How did you... get through it all?"

"Time," Chun Yan answered honestly. "Time... and the realization that he wouldn't have wanted me to mourn forever. Da Qin was so full of life until just before the very end, and I know that he would have wanted me to be happy."

Russia nodded,and thought about Chun Yan's last statement. _She would have wanted me to be happy... eating chocolates with her white opera gloves on... climbing trees and sitting serenely while her governess shouted at her to "come down NOW!"... hiding out with a pile of snowballs ready to ambush..._

All the memories came flooding back again, but thanks to Chun Yan's words, they were no longer of a girl who had died...but of a girl who had lived. Russia felt the pain slowly beginning to ease, as he contemplated all the things his friend had told him, his friend... a real friend... one that truly understood him.

"Spasibo, Chun Yan," he said quietly, a small smile crossing his face as he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her warmly. "You've helped me greatly."

Chun Yan smiled and replied as she hugged him in return , "I'm glad I could."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

**Bet you didn't see that one coming, huh? I've seen some Rome/China fanfics floating around so I decided to use that here for Chun Yan, seeing that she came from that era.**

**I played with history a little, in that the "Da Qin" that most of the records of that time mention was more likely Syria than Rome itself. But there was trade between the empire and China... so close enough. Artistic license, I love you.**

**All the naughty things that Russia remembers Anastasia doing were actually things that she did.**


	5. I Won't Forget

The next few weeks and months saw Russia beginning to seek out Chun Yan's company more and more frequently. To him, it seemed that her presence brought him the peace he had desperately craved for so long. Not only that, it was nice to have some companionship after being alone for so many years... especially at this time, since Belarus hardly ever came around to bother him. He knew that she had been spending a lot of time with Lithuania, and although he was glad for her, the house was terribly quiet without her chasing him constantly and shouting "Marry me, marry me, marry me!"

But the more time he spent with Chun Yan, the more he thought about her... and it made him feel guilty. He remembered telling Anastasia shortly before she was killed that she was his one true love, and in his mind, to think so much about another was almost a betrayal.

One day in particular, he wrestled with these feelings as he sat alone in his house. He contemplated calling her and asking her to come over... then decided against it, as he'd been spending more time with her than he"should". "I'm sorry Anastasia," he muttered... then he realized what he was saying. _She's gone now, and nothing will bring her back... besides, Chun Yan is a friend, and a good one. Nastenka would want me to be happy..._ He reached for his phone and dialed her number.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

At the same time, in her own home, Chun Yan sat sipping a cup of tea and thinking. Thinking about her deepening friendship with Ivan, and how happy he made her. Thinking about the dark time after she had lost her beloved Da Qin, and how she thought she'd never smile again. Thinking, in particular, on one last happy memory...

_Chun Yan rested her head on Rome's shoulder as the moon's soft blue light settled gently on the lush greenery of the garden surrounding them. He had dismissed his guard and now the two of them had some time alone. It had been such a long time since they had seen each other..._

_"You don't look very well, my love," Chun Yan whispered, concerned. Indeed, he didn't. His countenance had a faint grayish tone to it, and his eyes looked dull and tired. His strong shoulders had developed a stoop to them... and when he walked, it was as though he had heavy weights tied to each ankle. All in all, this was not the man who had once been bursting with vigor and energy._

_"I... the barbarians have been so restless lately," Rome replied wearily. "It's taking everything I have to keep them under control. Don't worry about me, darling..." his arm tightened around her. "Please don't worry."_

_"I can't help but worry," Chun Yan answered a little anxiously as she pushed her fingers through his thick curly hair. "You're not yourself, Da Qin." _

_"Chun Yan, my lily," Rome answered gently, turning to face her and cupping her chin in his hand, "please, I implore you, don't worry about me." He managed a smile, and in that smile, she saw a flash of the brilliance that had so dazzled her when she first met him._

_ "I will be hard pressed not to worry, though, until you return safely to me," she told him, eyes welling. He smiled down at her and pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead. _

_"Which I will, as soon as this is all over," he whispered, leaning forward to rest his forehead on hers. "But in the meanwhile, please, don't let yourself be troubled."_

_Chun Yan sighed and looped her arms around Rome's waist. "The world is changing so rapidly it frightens me a little," she told him._

_"But change can be good, love," Rome answered. "Change can be very good. You can always... find something positive when a major change happens." _

_She sighed. "I hope you're right," she replied. He chuckled gently and pushed a loose strand of hair away from her face._

_"Chun Yan, please... be happy. I know you have a great deal of happiness on your heart... let that happiness be with you all the time. And don't let it be buried in anxiety and trouble." She smiled a little at this..._

_"I love you Da Qin."_

_"And I you, Chun Yan. Be happy. Always. For me..."_

"He must have known," Chun Yan said softly, a brilliant smile crossing her face. Be happy. She thought of violet eyes and sweet smile. She thought of a gentle laugh and a lug nut she couldn't loosen. She thought of Ivan, her friend, that could maybe be more.

"Thank you, Da Qin," Chun Yan whispered. "I'll never forget you... but I'll be happy. For you."

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Russia and Chun Yan had dinner together that evening, and to him, Chun Yan seemed even prettier and livelier than usual. He valiantly tried to ignore the pangs of guilt he felt as he studied her face, felt his heart warm at her smile, and enjoyed the sound of her laugh. _I can't keep living a nightmare forever..._

After Russia dropped Chun Yan off at her house, he returned home and sat in his comfortable armchair. The meal they had eaten was hearty and delicious , and now he was feeling sleepy. Slowly, his eyes sagged shut and he began to dream.

_He was standing on the bank of a wide and deep river, looking down into the rapidly moving water. A voice from the other side caught his attention and made him look up sharply..._

_"Vanya! Vanya!" Anastasia was standing on the other bank, smiling and waving at him. "Nastenka," he cried. His heart leapt at the sight of her. He ran to the edge of the water and called, "Do you want me to come to you, sweetheart?"_

_She shook her head emphatically. "You can't," she answered. "You need to go back."_

_"Back? Back to where?" he called to her, confused. What did she mean by this? Didn't she want to be with him again?_

_"Back to living," she replied sweetly. He blinked, startled as she continued, "Let me go, Vanya."_

_"I can't," Russia cried, heart aching a little. "I don't want to forget you."_

_ "Don't forget... but please, let me go..." she seemed so peaceful and serene, but there was a finality to her words. _

_Russia realized, truly realized, that he couldn't go back. Nothing would be the same. "All right, Nastya," he answered after a few moments of silence, his voice cracking a little. "If it makes you happy."_

_She nodded enthusiastically and started backing away as if to show him he was making the right decision. "It will... and you, too..."_

_He knew what he had to do, and had to say. "Goodbye Nastenka..."_

_"Goodbye, Vanya... goodbye..."_

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

For the first time in a long while, Russia awoke peacefully from his dreams. It was what she wanted... to let her go, and make room in his heart for another. For a kind woman who had stood by him in some very dark moments. For a woman who had seen so many bad things, but could still find the good in anything. For a woman who had suffered, and yet had the strength not only to carry herself through the suffering, but also to give strength to others as well. For Chun Yan...

"I'll never forget you... but I'll let you go," he said softly. "For you... and for me."

o0o0o0o0o0o0

**A little sappy, yes... but hey, this is MY world doggoneit!**

**Since I got so many positive responses on the Silk Road pair (Rome/China), I included a little here... also to give Chun Yan a little more backstory.**

**Nastya and Nastenka were nicknames Anastasia had.**


	6. Swimming, Not Sinking

"There, that wasn't so difficult, now was it?"

Russia and Chun Yan sat, side by side, on the bank of the small lake behind her home, a picnic basket full of lovely things she had cooked for them open nearby. The reason they were here in the first place was- well, it was because Chun Yan was teaching Russia to swim.

Because the land Russia personified was so cold most of the time, he'd never had the opportunity to learn. When Chun Yan had heard this, she was surprised. "But that will never do, Vanya," she told him (she had begun referring to him by this nickname as of late, and he rather liked it). "Everyone should know how to swim."

"I think I am too old to learn now, Chun Yan," he answered sheepishly. "Nonsense," she replied, smacking his arm lightly. "Don't say such things. As long as you live, you still can learn. I'm going to teach you to swim." Russia smiled at Chun Yan's enthusiasm. _I hope I don't disappoint her,_ he thought...

Now, after a few months, it was the hottest part of the summer and, although he wasn't going to win any Olympic medals, Russia was now at least a competent swimmer. After their lesson had finished, they changed out of their swim clothes and sat down to enjoy their meal.

"I told you that you could learn, Vanya," Chun Yan teased, eyes twinkling as she glanced at him. He was happily devouring the delicacies she had prepared... swimming was a much more strenuous activity than he had imagined it to be when he started out, and now he had worked up quite an appetite.

"Well," he commented, chuckling and grinning back at her, "I had an excellent teacher, da?" She teasingly poked him, and he caught hold of her hand...

"Spasibo, Chun Yan," he said softly. "You don't know how much you've done for me lately." Chun Yan looked momentarily taken aback at his sudden seriousness, but then she squeezed his hand.

"You're quite welcome," she answered softly, moving closer to him. "You... I will say you have done the same." The two of them sat looking at each other wordlessly for a few minutes... until Russia spoke, breaking the silence.

"Hearts are funny things, da?" he said quietly, slipping his arm around Chun Yan. At first, he questioned the wisdom of this move, fearing she would be offended... but to his relief, she leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as though it were the most natural thing in the world. "You can try to control them all you like, but... they have... I guess you could say a mind of their own."

Chun Yan laughed softly, a delicate and pretty sound, then she carried on with his train of thought, almost as though she could read his mind. "Shi... not only that, but just when you think they're broken beyond repair... they mend. And even though it would be wrong to say you forget... you never do..."

"It doesn't matter as much anymore," Russia finished, tightening his arm around her.

"You move forward," Chun Yan added, putting her arm around Russia.

"And..." Russia suddenly giggled.

"And what?" Chun Yan said, poking him again.

"And... you start feeling and talking like you're in a silly romance novel or something like that," Russia said, giggles overtaking him. Chun Yan stared at him for a moment... then she too began to laugh. After a few minutes, they both were gasping for breath.

"We did sound like some terrible romance novel, didn't we?" Chun Yan exclaimed, wiping her eyes.

"Da," Russia answered, smiling at her. "But I won't hold that against you."

"What?" she answered in a mock indignant tone. "If I recall, Mr Braginsky, YOU started the whole exchange..." he shushed her by putting his hand over her mouth.

"Shh... let's just start from here, da?" Russia took both her hands and looked into her eyes. "Chun Yan Wang, you are... the first one who has made me truly happy in almost a hundred years... and I..." he got flustered. "I am sorry, I can't find the words to say what I'm saying..."

"You don't have to say it, Vanya," Chun Yan whispered, gripping his hands tightly. "I know... and I feel the same..." She reached for him, putting his arms around her neck... just as he began tickling her. She yelped and began squirming, trying to get away from him. He finally released her when he saw the wrath in her eyes...

"We were getting into bad-novel territory again," he shouted over his shoulder as she chased him around her back yard. "But I still love you, Chun Yan!"

Chun Yan continued her pursuit, ladle in hand, and shouted in reply, "I love you too, Vanya, but when I catch you, I'm going to..."

o0o0o0o0o0o0

**Okay, I just had to break up the sappiness. It was getting out of hand. And fem!China is just as much a spitfire as China, so that last part wasn't OOC at all. And I see Russia as being the playful type... maybe not really completely comfortable with really romantic-type stuffs. Hence his getting silly when he gets in that type of situation (much like this author).**

**At least Vanya told her he loves her! Yayayayay!**

**I promise this time, I'll update faster. I am so sorry I took so long... between work, the loss of a much loved family member and some other personal events, I haven't had much time to write. But now things are different, so I will finish this soon. (I just have one more part I want to finish this out with.)**


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